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PNW
Invertebrate ID Reference Books
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Copyright
2003 Wesley E. Nicholson
Looking
for and studying invertebrates will add another dimension to your enjoyment
of diving in the PNW. Each dive offers the opportunity to discover a wide
range of interesting and often colorful creatures. You commonly see far
more invertebrates than fish on any given dive. The diversity of the invertebrates
in our PNW waters does create an identification challenge. Hard work and
dedication are needed to develop the skills needed to identify the creatures
that you will commonly encounter. The enjoyment derived from knowing what
you are looking at while you are underwater more than makes up for the
required effort.
Once you
begin your studies of invertebrates you will quickly find a lack of standardization
of common names for the various species. It is possible to look at three
different references and see the same animal referred to by three different
names. Some of the references do not use common names at all due to the
confusion that they create. It is important to be aware of the potential
confusion in common names and to use the scientific names when you are
using more than one reference to study an animal. Some of the authors
only use scientific names. Some argue that everyone should learn the scientific
names because it is no harder to learn the scientific names than the common
names.
Developing
good invertebrate watching skills and identifying mystery critters requires
a good set of reference materials. The following discussion provides a
list of some of the available reference materials that are applicable
to the PNW. The references have been assigned to categories based on how
useful they are for underwater critter identification. Brief reviews are
provided for most of the references to help you decide if you would like
to look at or buy the books.
Some of
the books are new while others are out of print. Some new and used books
can be found at Amazon.com. Abebooks.com is a great place to find out
of print books and can give you all sorts of leads to used bookstores.
And, of course, there are always libraries.
We bring
many of these books with us to the quarterly Critter Watchers dives.
KEY
ID GUIDES
Books
you should have for critter watching in the PNW. Of
these, we recommend that you get the book by Harbo first as it has a little
of everything. You will need the books by Behrens, Gotshall, and
Jensen as you begin to learn your invertebrates and want to be able to
identify all of the interesting creatures that you encounter. We commonly
use all four of these references to learn our invertebrates and frequently
use two or more to confirm identifications. Even this set of books has
some gaps that should be filled by other specialized references.
Harbo,
Rick M. 1999. Whelks to Whales - A Field Guide Of
The Coastal Marine Life Of The Pacific Northwest. Harbour Publishing
Co. Ltd., Madeira Park, BC, Canada. 245p.
- The
reference used in the REEF / PADI Invertebrate Course. Includes all
of the species in that course.
- Has
a chapter on each invertebrate phylum with general discussions of organisms
within the phylum
- Arranges
organisms by class within each phylum, with general discussions of each
class
- Nice
color photos although many are on the small side and do not show the
creatures well
- Brief
descriptions - not always focused on key ID features divers can see
under water
- Some
information on size, range, and habitat
- Some
information on natural history
Behrens,
David W. 1991. Pacific Coast Nudibranchs - A Guide
To The Opisthobranchs Alaska To Baja California. 2nd Edition, Revised.
Sea Challengers, Monterey CA. 107p.
- Comprehensive
guide to the nudibranchs - members of the subclass Opisthobranchia within
the phylum Mollusca
- Provides
an introduction to the biology and natural history of the nudibranchs
- Provides
a pictorial glossary that defines the various scientific terms used
in describing animals, with detailed black and white diagrams to supplement
the definitions
- Provides
a pictorial key to the members of the subclass based on detailed black
and white diagrams
- Provides
descriptions of each species including some information on size, range,
and natural history
- Some
of the identification features discussed are not useful to divers under
water
- Has
a color photo of each species
- Covers
species that you may not see in the PNW
- Be
warned: there are likely nudibranch species that have not been scientifically
identified - you could run into something new
Gotshall,
Daniel W. 1994. Guide To Marine Invertebrates -
Alaska To Baja California. Sea Challengers, Monterey CA. 105p.
- Developed
as an identification tool for divers and beachcombers
- Covers
the common subtidal invertebrates
- Has
a very simple pictorial key to the phyla based on basic black and white
diagrams
- Provides
a brief description of each animal including size, range, habitat and
some natural history
- Has
a color photo of each animal
- Excludes
animals better covered in other field guides
- Excludes
animals usually found at depths greater than 150 feet, very small animals,
and cryptic animals
- Includes
creatures you will not see in PNW as it covers invertebrates from Alaska
to central Baja, California
Jensen,
Gregory C. 1995. Pacific Coast Crabs and Shrimps.
Sea Challengers, Monterey CA. 87p.
- Covers
160 species of marine dedapod crustaceans - crabs, shrimps and related
creatures
- Provides
a pictorial key based on fairly basic black and white diagrams
- Provides
descriptions of each animal with information on size, range, habitat
and some natural history
- Has
a color photo of each animal
- Some
of the photos are not useful for learning or confirming identifications
due to image size or camera angle
- Includes
creatures you will not see in PNW as it covers area from Alaska to Mexico
OTHER
ID GUIDES
These
books are nice to have, especially if you love books. They are valuable
for both learning fish identification and looking up mystery fish because
they provide additional pictures and/or descriptions. At times, it takes
a different view or some additional information on factors such as range,
size, habitat, and behavior to help you confirm a tentative identification.
Alden,
Peter, Amy Gregoret, Richard Keen, Daniel Mathews, Eric A. Oches, Dennis
Paulson, Robert Sundstrom, and Wendy B. Zomlefer. 1998.
National Audubon Society Field Guide To the Pacific Northwest.
Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., New York. 448p.
- Has
very small section on marine invertebrates
- Nice
color photos, although photos are small and do not always show key ID
features
- Brief
descriptions of each included species, including some information on
range, habitat and behavior
Harbo,
Rick M. 1997. Shells And Shellfish Of The Pacific
Northwest: A Field Guide. Harbour Publishing Co. Ltd., Madeira
Park, BC, Canada. 272p. (Submitted by Bruce Bury).
- We
haven't seen this book but it sounds interesting.
Lambert
P. 1997. Sea Cucumbers Of British Columbia, Southeast
Alaska And Puget Sound. Royal British Columbia Museum Handbook.
UBC Press, Vancouver. 166p
- Introduction
to the biology of sea cucumbers
- Descriptions
of each species with discussion of ID features, including ID features
not useful for divers
- Some
information on size, range, habitat and biology
- Information
on similar species
- Uses
a combination of black and white photos and black and white diagrams
to illustrate each species
- Limited
section of color photographs, some of the images are too small for ID
purposes others are of dead animals.
- List
of known species from Skagway Alaska to the Pugest Sound from the intertidal
zone to 200 m deep on continental shelf
- Written
key that uses some ID features not useful to divers underwater
- May
not include all species you may see south of Puget Sound
- May
include species that you will not see
Lambert,
P. 2000. Sea Stars Of British Columbia, Southeast
Alaska, and Puget Sound. Drawings by Gretchen Markle. Photographs
by Brent Cooke and Philip Lambert. Royal British Columbia Museum Handbook,
UBC Press, Vancouver. 186p.
- Introduction
to the biology of sea stars
- Descriptions
of each species with discussion of ID features, including ID features
not useful for divers
- Some
information on size, range, habitat and biology
- Information
on similar species
- Uses
a combination of black and white photos and black and white diagrams
to illustrate each species
- Limited
section of color photographs, some of the images are too small for ID
purposes
- List
of known species from Skagway Alaska to the Pugest Sound from the intertidal
zone to 200 m deep on continental shelf
- Written
key that uses some ID features not useful to divers underwater
- May
not include all species you may see south of Puget Sound
- May
include species that you will not see
McLachlan,
Dan, Ayres, Jak. 1979. Fieldbook of Pacific Northwest
Sea Creatures. Naturegraph Publishers, Inc. Happy Camp, CA. 208
pages.
-
Older book that is now out of print but copies can still be found
- Color
photographs that are poor in quality
- Only
one chapter devoted to fishes
- Descriptions
are short but somewhat informative
Sept,
J. Duane. 1999. The Beachcomber's Guide To Seashore
Life In The Pacific Northwest. Harbour Publishing Co. Ltd., Madeira
Park, BC, Canada.235p.
- Written
for beachcombers
- Focus
is on creatures found in the intertidal and subtidal areas
- Brief
sections on each of the phyla
- Descriptions
a sample of the common animals from each phylum
- Color
photos generally taken of animals out of the water during low tides
- Some
descriptive material, including information on size, habitat and range
- Sections
on fishes and plants
NATURAL
HISTORY REFERENCES
These
books are focused on the natural history of marine ecosystems. Plants
and animals are described as they fit into their environment. Most of
the books are focused on the intertidal zone and observing the creatures
at low tide. However, many intertidal animals are also observed by divers
at deeper depths.
Carl,
G. Clifford. 1966. Guide To Marine Life Of British
Columbia. Illustrations by Frank L. Beebe. British Columbia Provincial
Museum. Handbook 21. Victoria, BC. 135p.
- Very
limited section on invertebrates - most of book is on birds
- High
quality black and white illustrations
- Brief
descriptions with a focus on natural history, some information on size
and habitat
Cerullo,
Mary M. and Jeffrey L. Rotman. 1997. The Octopus:
Phantom Of The Sea. Cobblehill. 64 pages. (Submitted by Bruce Bury).
- We
haven't seen this book.
Kozloff,
Eugene N. 1973. Seashore Life Of Puget Sound,
The Strait Of Georgia And The San Juan Archipelago. University of Washington
Press. Seattle and London. 282 p.
- Focus
is on plants and animals found in the intertidal zone - although many
are also found in deeper waters
- Discusses
the association of plants and animals found in the various habitat types
of the region
- Within
a habitat type, organisms are grouped by taxonomic classification (Phyla,
Class, Order etc.)
- Provides
an introduction to each of the phyla
- Provides
information on the biology and natural history of the various species
- Some
species are described in detail, others are only briefly mentioned
- Provides
a pictorial guide to the major groupings of animals
- Provides
a written guide to the major groupings of plants
- Uses
a combination of color photos, black and white photos and black and
white drawings to illustrate many of the species
- Focus
is on the common marine plants and animals of Puget Sound and adjoining
inland waters of BC, with limited application to outer coast areas of
BC, OR and WA.
- May
not include all of the species seen by divers in the PNW
Kozloff, Eugene N. 2000. Seashore Life Of The Northern
Pacific Coast - An Illustrated Guide To Northern California, Oregon, Washington
and British Columbia. Fifth Printing. University of Washington
Press. Seattle and London. 373p.
- Focus
is on plants and animals found in the intertidal zone - although many
are also found in deeper waters
- Concentrates
on invertebrates and plants, with brief sections on fish
- Covers
over 650 species from southern British Columbia to central California
- Discusses
the association of plants and animals by habitat type
- Within
a habitat type, organisms are grouped by taxonomic classification (Phyla,
Class, Order etc.)
- Provides
an introduction to each of the phyla
- Provides
information on the biology and natural history of the various species
- Some
species are described in detail, others are only briefly mentioned
- Provides
a pictorial guide to the major groupings of animals
- Provides
a written guide to the major groupings of plants
- Uses
a combination of color photos, black and white photos and black and
white drawings to illustrate many of the species
- Is
an expansion of the Seashore Life of Puget Sound to a broader area and
more organisms.
Niesen, Thomas M. 1994. Beachcomber's Guide To California
Marine Life. Photographs By Michael E. Kunz. Line Drawings By David
I. Wood. Gulf Publishing Co., Houston. 192p.
- Written
for beachcombers
- Provides
a brief introduction to each of the invertebrate phyla and to the marine
plants
- Delineates
the intertidal zone into a number of habitat types
- Describes
the marine life found within these habitat types
- Uses
a combination of color photos, black and white photos and black and
white drawings to illustrate many of the species
- Has
a small section on the marine mammals of California
Rosenfeld,
Anne Wertheim and Robert T. Paine. 2002. The Intertidal
Wilderness: A Photographic Journey Through The Pacific Coast Tidepools.
Revised Edition. University of California Press. 189p. (Submitted by Bruce
Bury).
- We
haven't seen this book.
Snively,
Gloria. 1997. Exploring The Sea Shore In British
Columbia, Washington, And Oregon - A Guide To Shorebirds And Intertidal
Plants And Animals. Eleventh Printing. Gordon Soules Book Publishers
Ltd. West Vancouver, BC And Seattle WA. 240p.
- Written
for beachcombers
- Delineates
the intertidal zone into a number of habitat types
- Describes
the marine life found within these habitat types
- Descriptions
of each animal are generally brief and vague, although some will provide
information on size and appearance
- Descriptions
of the natural history of the organisms
- Detailed
black and white diagrams of many organisms
- Nice
color photos of a small selection of organisms
- Small
sections on birds and intertidal fishes
Snyderman,
Marty. 1998. California Marine Life - A Guide To
Common Marine Species. Roberts Rinehart Publishers in Cooperation with
Monterey Bay Aquarium. Lanham, MD. 180p.
- Includes
information on and color pictures of some invertebrates that are found
in the PNW
- Nice
overview on taxonomic classification of plants and animals
- Information
presented by habitat type
- Covers
subtidal as well as intertidal habitats
SCIENTIFIC REFERENCE MATERIALS:
Kozloff,
Eugene N., and Linda H. Price. 1996. Marine Invertebrates
Of The Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press. Seattle
and London. 539p.
- Developed
for marine research and education purposes.
- Provides
a set of keys for identifying marine invertebrates based on characteristics
that are often not useful to the diver under water.
- Provides
a set of taxonomic lists (complete listing of known species at time
of publication)
- Has
black and white photos and detailed drawing of some organisms to help
with the identification
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